Guide to Business Etiquette in Mexico

Modern Mexico is an enormous, complex place, one that is changing quickly as trade opens new economic doors and a jolting return to full democracy has its citizens both hopeful and distrusting of nearly every institution around them.

Doing business there, meanwhile, is two parts hidebound traditionalism and one part sheer inventiveness. Obstacles spring up and Mexico's hard-charging entrepreneurs find a way around them.

In this guide, you will learn to:

1) Get over some of the common misperceptions of and by foreigners

2) Overcome obstacles to communication

3) Cement initial contacts into long-lasting personal and commercial relationships

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Follow the news for a good sense of what matters

A big problem for most foreign visitors is simply appearing to react to old ideas about a new place. Get around this by reading Mexico news online.

I recommend: World News Network and Topix aggregate Mexican topical news in English from all over the U.S. press. Yahoo!, The Washington Post and The New York Times maintain Mexico news pages.

Be sensitive to perceptions

It can be a challenge if you come from a so-called "developed" country, in part because your clients and partners will make assumptions. One assumption they will get right is that you know little or nothing about their country while expecting them to know everything about yours.

I recommend: Beat back this weakness by boning up on history and geography. The CIA Factbook is a surprisingly evenhanded review of the basic economic, political and geographical facts. The History Channel has a concrete, short but complete mini-site on Mexican history, while the BBC and the Economist have updated profiles. For the more adventurous, consider The Oxford History of Mexico.

Corruption is a common aspect of life but not necessarily business

Mexico, like many developing countries, has a subculture of corruption that is the direct result of poverty. Cops are underpaid, so tickets get fixed. Bureaucrats, too, and so forth, what's often termed petty corruption. Do not, however, assume too much.

I recommend: Corporate Mexico, particularly Mexican multinationals, is as horrified by corruption as you are. They will be particularly sensitive to this discussion and likely react poorly if pandered to. For instance, the United States is not the highest-rated country in the Transparency International Bribe Payers' Index. (USA tied with Belgium at 9th and 10th place; Mexico is No. 17.)

Where yes means not really

It's easy to generalize, but it is true that Mexicans are far more polite than Americans. This leads to two misunderstandings. Americans seem cold and business-like for giving direct, frank answers and, in return, Mexicans can seem agreeable to nearly anything yet not serious about getting down to business.

I recommend: A common joke is that Mexicans always say "yes" but never specify "when." This is simply politeness, but for many foreigners it comes off as insincerity. Cyborlink offers a short yet well-written guide to behavior codes, as does Kwintessential.

Even rudimentary Spanish beats clueless Taco-Bell jokespeak

Your Mexican collegues will not understand why "gordita" is funny and will not have seen the commercials with the Chihuahua. Nor is saying "No way, José!" over and over going to get you very far.

I recommend: Consider taking a beginning Spanish class from Berlitz or ELT or through a local university, particularly if you will be traveling regularly to Mexico or talking on the phone with Mexican customers. Any effort is hugely impressive. Many Mexico business people are bilingual; do not, however, assume they speak your language naturally. Compliment their English in a low-key way. See more on foreign-language training at this guide on training employees.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Everyone loves a good rousing debate, but this is no time to bring up Mexican immigration into the United States -- even if you think it's a good idea. If your associates ask your view, be clear but careful in your contribution to the discussion. Remember, you will represent, like it or not, the opinions of all U.S. citizens. Be a diplomat, not a blowhard.
• Remember, all travel is time travel in a big way. The strangest thing about moving around in the wider world is seeing cultural and social trends that are either way behind, or way ahead, of your own. Comments like, "Hey, people still smoke in restaurants here!" will seem idiotic at best. Guess what? Mexico City has better mass transit than most of the United States.
• There is no casual Friday in Mexico. Wear a dark suit or conservative dress. Polish your shoes. Funky ties do not say "fun," they say "weirdo." If you think your meeting will be outdoors or at a sporting event, ask Mexican colleagues what they will wear.